This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. 11/28/2008 The principle objective of the Autism Genome Project (AGP) is to identify genes that underlie susceptibility to autism to ultimately understand the biological mechanisms underlying the disorder. The AGP will accomplish this goal by capitalizing on the scientific expertise and sample collections from consortia in North America and Europe: the Autism Genetics Cooperative (AGC), the Autism Genetics Resource Exchange (AGRE), Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEA) and International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium (IMGSAC), and from additional individual groups and experts. This is the largest collaborative effort of its kind representing 13 different institutions - see table at the end. Hypothesis: Central to the AGP's strategic plan is to combine genome-wide analysis of multiplex families, targeted analysis of functional candidate genes, and detection of copy number variations (CNVs) or polymorphisms (CNPs) to identify genetic risk factors, using data analytic techniques of linkage and association.